Chapter 4
The living room fell silent.
I looked at Mark for a moment before answering.
“No.”
He was still holding his phone. He frowned as though he hadn’t heard me.
“What?”
“They’re not coming here.” I pointed toward Lucy’s closed bedroom door. “Tomorrow is the time you promised Lucy. If you want to see Ethan, take him to the park, to a movie, or out to lunch. But Sophie isn’t coming into the home I share with my daughter.”
Mark’s expression darkened. He clearly hadn’t expected me to refuse so quickly.
“Erin, they’re just coming over for lunch.”
“Then take them out for lunch.” I held his gaze. “You missed Lucy’s birthday dinner. Now you want to take away the time you promised to make it up to her?”
“Ethan kept asking when he would see me again. He needs to know I care.”
“Then go see him.”
“It’s not easy for Sophie to raise him alone.”
I gave a short laugh.
“So Lucy has to give up her own home, her weekend, even the time you promised to make things up to her?”
“Don’t pit the kids against each other.” Mark tugged his tie loose in frustration. “They’re both my children.”
“But you’ve never made Ethan wait.”
He opened his mouth but didn’t immediately argue.
“I haven’t asked you to see Ethan less,” I continued. “Or to stop being his father. I just won’t let Sophie walk in and take away Lucy’s time because she says Ethan needs his family together.”
“She’s just coming over for lunch.”
“She doesn’t come here without my agreement.”
Mark stared at me, as if he was only now realizing I wasn’t going to go along with his plans anymore.
“Erin, this is my house.”
I met his eyes.
“It’s Lucy’s home, too. You’ve forgotten that. That’s why you think you can invite anyone you want.”
He said nothing. He turned and walked onto the balcony to make a call.
Even through the glass door, I could hear his lowered voice.
“Sophie, come over tomorrow as planned. Erin’s just upset. We’ll talk when you get here.”
I stood there, almost laughing.
He had understood my refusal perfectly well.
He just didn’t care.
I went back to Lucy’s room. She was asleep, her bunny tucked under her chin. A corner of her birthday drawing still stuck out from beneath her pillow.
I took out my phone and texted my sister.
“Can Lucy stay with you for a couple of days, starting tomorrow?”
She replied almost immediately.
“Of course. I’ll pick up those mini maple donuts she likes in the morning.”
The next morning, Lucy didn’t ask whether Mark was taking her to the amusement park.
She packed her pajamas, stuffed bunny, and birthday drawing into her little backpack herself, then sat in the entryway to put on her shoes.
“Mommy, does Auntie’s brown dog still play fetch?”
“Yes.”
“Can I give it treats?”
“You can.”
She finally smiled.
When Mark came downstairs and saw the suitcase, his expression changed.
“Where are you going?”
“My sister’s.”
“You’re taking Lucy and running away because Sophie’s coming over for lunch?”
“I’m not running away.” I took hold of the suitcase handle. “I’m taking her out of a place where she isn’t respected.”
The doorbell rang.
Mark looked down at his phone. Sophie had sent a message.
“We’re here.”
I took Lucy’s hand and stayed where I was.
The doorbell rang again.
Then came the sound of a key sliding into the lock.
Click.
The door opened.
Sophie stood in the doorway, holding a box of chocolate cookies she had just picked up at Whole Foods.
Ethan followed her in, his soccer bag slung casually over one shoulder. He looked up at Mark and called, “Dad!” Then he bent to take off his shoes, as if he had done it plenty of times before.
Only when he noticed the suitcase beside Lucy did he frown.
“Are you guys going somewhere?”
Sophie held up the key with an easy smile.
“I thought you might not have heard the doorbell, so I let myself in.”
Her gaze settled on Lucy.
“Perfect. We can all have lunch together today, like a family.”